A groundbreaking Stanford-led study reveals how sustainable land management in the Peruvian Andes can help safeguard hydropower and agriculture against climate change, pointing to upstream reforestation and nature-based solutions as key strategies.
A new study, published in Communications – Earth & Environment, has revealed promising solutions for balancing water needs for energy and agriculture in the Peruvian Andes, with broad implications for similar regions worldwide. With hydropower being a critical source of low-carbon energy, the research highlights how coordinated efforts in land management could ensure sustainable energy and food production even amidst the challenges posed by climate change.
Led by the Natural Capital Project (NatCap) at Stanford University, the study integrates hydropower operations with watershed processes and climate projections using a high-resolution model of the Huallaga River Basin, upstream of the Chaglla Dam. The findings underscore the pressing need for collaboration between hydropower operators and agricultural communities to establish sustainable practices.
“This study is exciting because this is the first time climate change, hydropower and land management practices have been put together in a robust decision-making approach,” lead author Zhaowei Ding, a postdoctoral researcher at NatCap, said in a news release. “In this region, people had looked at the relationship between hydropower and deforestation, or hydropower and food, but they were not connected. Now, we can show where water goes in the basin and we can optimize our management suggestions.”
Sustainable Solutions Amid Growing Pressures
The Peruvian Andean-Amazonian basin is highly vulnerable to climate-induced changes in rainfall patterns and land use.
Reduced rainfall, especially during the growing season, pressures upstream farmers to rely on irrigation, diminishing water availability for hydropower plants downstream. Such tensions between water, energy and food sectors are likely to escalate without strategic intervention, the study suggests.
“For the first time, this research scientifically documents possible projections of these changes – the first step to understanding the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus in Peruvian basins with increasingly marked human influences,” co-author Waldo Lavado, a researcher at the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology of Peru, said in the news release.
Nature-Based Approaches Offer Hope
The study identifies nature-based solutions as a key lever to mitigate conflicts. Investments in reforestation and the establishment of protected areas could reduce irrigation needs, thereby increasing downstream water availability for hydropower.
Forests play a crucial role in soil retention, reducing erosion and sedimentation that hinder dam operations.
“Local farmers and communities are well aware of the need to preserve the ecosystems and landscapes that sustain their production systems, but they face significant challenges in a changing environment,” added co-author Andrea Baudoin Farah, an assistant professor at Colorado State University and former NatCap postdoctoral researcher.
By targeting low-yield farms for reforestation and improving irrigation efficiency in remaining agricultural zones, both energy and food sectors can benefit.
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
Collaboration among global hydropower stakeholders is essential to scale these findings beyond the Andes. The largest dams, situated in Asia, face similar challenges and could benefit from similar nature-based solutions.
“If hydropower operators want to maintain their revenue, they will need to increase their investments in nature upstream of their dams,” added senior author Rafael Schmitt, a lead scientist at NatCap and project lead.
The research is a call to action for a collective approach to sustainable water management, significantly contributing to combating climate change impacts.